The End of Diplomacy
Start Date: September 1st, 1939 End Date: October 19th, 1945 1st day of World War II Darkness spreads over the world. Germany broke the promises made at Munich and now threatens Poland. With Czechoslovakia's fall, Britain, France and the USSR have had to reconsider how to contain Germany and how to defend themselves. As Germany's ally, Italy has tried to balance that relationship with its need for trade. For two years, Japan has thrashed Chinese forces, yet victory remains out of reach. A new Japanese offensive in Southeast Asia could bring much-needed resources and break the stalemate, but could also provoke a Western response. Tensions rise around the world. In the conflicts to come, who will prevail? Historical Comparison Unfazed by what it saw as empty threats from Britain and France, Germany looked hungrily to the east. It entered into secret negotiations with its arch foe, the USSR, to carve up Polish territory. By the summer of 1939, the groundwork was in place for the opening rounds of war in Europe. Germany invaded Poland on September 1. France and Britain declared war two days later, but gave little tangible aid. Poland fell within the month. Even then, most nations remained neutral. Behind the scenes, Italy sought the right time to join forces with Germany, while the Soviet Union used the crisis to grab territory from Poland, Finland and the Baltic states. After a relatively quiet winter, Germany struck in April 1940. First Denmark and Norway fell. Then French and British armies in northern France and Belgium were trampled. Hoping to benefit from German successes, Italy declared war against the two democracies on June 10. In a scant six weeks the mighty French army was beaten, and France surrendered. Shocked, the United States began its first peacetime draft. Tensions with Japan continued to grow, as Tokyo sent forces into Southeast Asia, taking advantage of the European conflict. Trade with Japan deteriorated, but the American people were still unwilling to go to war for China. By the summer of 1940, Germany and Italy dominated the European continent from the English Channel to the Soviet border and from the Arctic to the Mediterranean shores of Libya. Britain fought on, in North Africa, the Balkans, and in the air, but German submarines threatened to strangle the island nation. Diplomacy has failed in Europe and war reigns. Diplomatic efforts continue in Asia, but have not produced anything that satisfies Japan, China, and the US. Key Countries China For two years, the Japanese have been lords of the Chinese coast, brutally attacking and oppressing your people. Forced out of your capital and away from the economically vital coast, your strength is limited. You've dedicated all of China to battling Japan; you've even declared a truce with your true enemy: the Chinese Communists. Western nations wring their hands and criticize Japan, but have sent little to your new capital, Chungking. Unlike the British and French, the United States is not threatened by the German menace. Is American aid your best hope? How can you defend your territories and save your country? France Appeasement has failed. Germany controls Czechoslovakia. The Nazis now threaten Poland . . . and could soon threaten France. Can you ready French defenses? France has the Maginot line fortifying the Franco-German border. North of the Ardennes, you share a border with the Belgians, who cling to neutrality. Halfway around the world, Japanese aggressions could threaten French trade and territories. Can you protect France's colonies without weakening your domestic defenses? You've considered new defensive alliances, but with which countries? The USSR? Moscow has been distrustful and noncommittal. Italy has drawn closer to Germany. And Britain? Can you trust it in a crisis? How can you contain Germany? More importantly, how can you protect France? Germany German goals have been brutally simple. Greater Lebensraum (living space) for Germans. Take whatever land and resources Germany needs. Follow no one but yourself. You agreed to nothing at Munich. Britain and France wanted false comfort, and you gave it to them. They gave you the Sudetenland, you promised to respect Czechoslovakia's borders. You kept that pledge as long as - and no longer than - you wanted. Now Czechoslovakia belongs to Germany. Next on your list: Poland. The liberation of Danzig, a German-speaking city, has been your justification for attack. Your forces await your command. They will then launch a blitzkrieg attack on Poland. Will Britain and France come to Poland's defense? Germany is powerful, but potential enemies lie to the east and west. The Great War taught you the danger of a two-front war. The USSR also has eyed Polish lands. Perhaps you can use this to your advantage? Alliance with those vile Communists would be detestable but practical. All shall hail your Third Reich! Italy You have promised Italy a modern empire, one to rival the Roman Empire of centuries ago. This proposed empire would rule the Mediterranean and be respected throughout the world! To accomplish this, you need a modern economy - and the resources to run it. Until your goal is achieved, Italy needs trade to fuel its factories. Growing tensions between the UK, France, and Germany could threaten your import of resources. New conquests can bring glory and secure access to supplies. You've brought Albania under Italian control and considered attacking the Balkans and Greece. Perhaps expanding Ethiopia's borders. You've also dreamed of acquiring Britain and France's Mediterranean colonies, but do not dream of war with those major powers. Once Germany's mentor, you've found yourself increasingly in the Nazi shadow. If Italy aligns with German plans, it should be as an equal partner, not a secondary ally. What next steps are best for Italy? Japan The Japanese invasion of China is nearly two years old. Despite the strength and efficiency of your military, the Chinese still resist. Raw resources have fueled your campaign. Supplies have come from the United States and the Asian mainland, but trade is not enough. Territorial expansion can give Japan control of the resources you need to crush China. You have been willing to develop relationships with Germany and Italy. Even better, you've used their aggressions to Japan's advantage. European conflicts have distracted Britain, France, and the Netherlands from your plans to conquer their resource-rich colonies. Soviet forces have moved away from the Manchurian border to defend their western lands. The United States has disapproved of your Chinese campaign. There are rumors of embargos. Japan needs resources and does not need new enemies. What will you do next? United Kingdom The British Empire faces a deeply troubled world. In Asia, Japan has begun building its own empire. Japanese aggressions threaten British territories and trade. However, the larger danger grows in Europe. The peace brokered at Munich has been shattered. Nazi Germany controls Czechoslovakia and now threatens Poland. Will you defend Warsaw? Poland is far away, and Germany far more prepared than Britain. You have considered building a strong alliance with France, but the French have been focused on domestic defense and not broader strategies. What of the USSR? It would be a powerful ally, but Britain has never trusted the expansionist Communist state. The United States could be a valuable partner, but American neutrality seems unbreakable. Will you allow Germany to dominate Europe? Will you protect your Asian empire from Japanese ambitions? The world is changing. How will Britain respond? United States Years of unemployment and economic woe have ground down American optimism. Foreign involvement? Absolutely not. Immigration restrictions and neutrality laws made isolationism the American way. America has resisted engaging with the world, but global tensions have touched your shores. Japan has been the biggest threat; its continued invasion of China could disrupt American trade and power in the Pacific. There are also rumbles from Europe. A defiant and rearmed Germany seems poised to dominate the Continent. Slowly, you have begun to rebuild the American military, starting with the naval forces that would be crucial to any Pacific war. Rebuilding the American economy has been your top priority. Can America continue its domestic focus, or must it engage with the world? USSR Communism should sweep across the globe, overthrowing corrupt democracies. But, before that happens, you want to secure power closer to home. There are perils on all sides. An aggressive Japan with troops near Siberia. A rearmed Nazi Germany in the west. To strengthen Soviet borders, you've considered putting troops in buffer zones in eastern Poland, the Baltic States, and Finland's Karelian Peninsula. Will you move forces to those lands through treaty . . . or conquest? The USSR stands alone in the world. Ever since 1917, London, Paris, and Washington have conspired against your great revolution. You don't need enemies masquerading as friends. Germany has openly loathed the USSR, but maybe a marriage of convenience would be valuable for both sides?